End Grain Cutting Board - Maple, Purpleheart and Black Walnut

nice work ! cutting boards are always fun to make and great gifts too

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Looks great! I haven’t made an end grain board yet, but it’s on the list. I’ve read a bit of advice you might find helpful. If you round the edges slightly before you run it through the planer you won’t have as big of a problem with blowout on the ends.

The other stuff I’ve read is that running end grain through a planer can be very dangerous. Some people refuse to do it, there are plenty of “my cutting board/planer exploded and almost killed me” stories out there. A lot of the tutorials you read online stress this, and say that it’s really really important to sand or hand plane the board nearly flat and take very light passes on the planer. And don’t stand in front or behind of the planer when the board’s going through.

Thanks! I did not think of rounding the edges. It’s logical.

I was really careful with the planer, because I was aware of those foibles – and indeed made really light passes after having taken down some obvious differences with a block planer. But I will admit the block planer work was very difficult (or I am very lazy!!!). I am also paranoid enough that I never stand in front or back of the planer – and always have a clear path to that big “off” button :)

Board looks good, nice job

-- Whether You Think You Can or You Think You Can't, YOU ARE RIGHT!!!

Very nice and beautifully done! I have yet to make one. Yours inspires me to make one soon. Thanks for the pictures.

-- Simon, Danville, IL

A first attempt is always a challenge and a learning curve.
For your next one might I suggest that you vary the width of the stripes in the first glue up stage and when you cut and roll …alternate the pieces.
This will achieve two things.. the pieces will lock themselves in like laying bricks.
Secondly if the shop gremlins move the glue up then it will be less noticable.
Well done and many more to come. BTW I hope you don’t mind me giving you advice.
Larry

-- Drink once, cut twice. New website up.... lazylarrywoodworks.com.au

I love advice, especially from the expert himself!

nice color combo. turned out great
watch out cutting boards can be addicting

Don’t know if you’ve seen the Wood Whisperer podcast video of an end grain cutting board, but here is the link-

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-7-a-cut-above-part-1/

This was my first tutorial, it was an easy board to make, and soooo fancy.

Very good first attempt, definitely round your edges before you plane. I run the edges on the router table with a 1/8” roundover bit before planing, no tear out. Also, yes be very careful planing end grain, it can be hazardous. I only take skim cuts and run the board through many times.

Things don’t always line up like you want them to, but do like Larry suggested and you should avoid this. Keep the boards coming, it gets better the more you do it.

Lisa

-- I inherited the woodworking gene and it's gone into overdrive.......

Thanks Lisa. Very cool plan – even gives you an approximate cost.

How many weeks until xmas? Let’s see…. I can make one every 3 weeks, but I think I have enough clamps to stagger 2 at a time…

I need more clamps.

Nice cutting board. I was too chicken to try end-grain on my first attempt.

You can never have too many clamps.

-- A bad craftsmen blames his cheap #$%ing tools